Lowrance NMEA 2000 question

B Becker · Post by **B Becker** » Mon Mar 01, 2010 5:45 pm

Ok, I was one of the lucky ones to get the HDS 5 at Bass Pro Shops on Friday. I have x135's already in the boat, I pulled one out and noticed that my connections were blue and they were blue on the HD too. I thought I was home free!! except on the NMEA connection, the HD came with a male connection and the old cable is male also. I looked on the lowrance website for an adapter and didn't see one. Looks like they want me to buy a power node for $48. Is this correct or do I just need the $19 cable that goes blue to red? that didn't seem right? I figured there were Lowrance experts on here without having to call the company. Thanks for any help you can offer

Robert F · Post by **Robert F** » Mon Mar 01, 2010 6:03 pm

HDS needs to power the network backbone with the power node. What do you have on the backbone? I do not believe you will need backbone power if it is used to connect unit to unit with no external antenna, temp, etc. Make sure your power cable that connects to the HDS is not powering the network.

619 · Post by **619** » Mon Mar 01, 2010 6:15 pm

You need the adapter cable to connect to the network.

B Becker · Post by **B Becker** » Mon Mar 01, 2010 6:22 pm

Robert, thanks, but I am a complete idiot...what the heck is the "backbone"? I had two x135 without GPS so no external antenna, just two fishfinders with temp (one temp node that was displayed on both units. I plugged the two blue connectors into the slots that corresponded with the plugs (male to female, etc). They both power up fine and the sonar seems to be working (haven't had it in the water yet) but everything seems compatible. I just think that other connection will give me communication between the two and give me the temp as well, yes?

619,

what cable? the only adapter cable I saw was the one that went from blue to red? do you know an LEI part number?

Thanks guys, you are great, I'm just not that good at the technology....

Robert F · Post by **Robert F** » Mon Mar 01, 2010 8:37 pm

B Becker wrote:Robert, thanks, but I am a complete idiot...what the heck is the "backbone"? I had two x135 without GPS so no external antenna, just two fishfinders with temp (one temp node that was displayed on both units. I plugged the two blue connectors into the slots that corresponded with the plugs (male to female, etc). They both power up fine and the sonar seems to be working (haven't had it in the water yet) but everything seems compatible. I just think that other connection will give me communication between the two and give me the temp as well, yes?

619,

what cable? the only adapter cable I saw was the one that went from blue to red? do you know an LEI part number?

Thanks guys, you are great, I'm just not that good at the technology....

The blue to red is what Art is talking about. Sounds like there is nothing that needs power on the NMEA backbone as you are using the internal antenna on the HDS.
As the 135 does not have mapping you are only going to share temp. When you upgrade the 135

you will share waypoints on the mapping.

micropterus · Post by **micropterus** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:02 am

Brent, I'm not sure how far along you are with your install. As RobertF suggested it might make sense to upgrade your x135 also. There are a couple good sources (for do it yourselfers) for all things Lowrance cabling, networking, adapters, etc. for the various technologies. One is Three Rivers Marine Electronics in PA. Send them a Contact email on what your setup is. They will reply with all the adapter cables, t-connectors, etc. along with part numbers and prices. Another source is the BBC forum, there are a couple of guys over their that know this stuff inside and out. Of course, Lowrance tech support is good (via email). I just upgraded my electronics on the bow to the LMS-520c (that's an upgrade for me

thanks NoCal the unit works great

, lots of good deals on this stuff with everyone going to the new HDS units and unloading what they have) and networked it to my console unit, an LCX111c HD and I did this using the 'data wiring' method. I saved about $130.00 in adapter cabling and connectors as my LCX 111c HD has blue connectors and the LMS-520c has the red. All it cost me was some time to do the wiring setup. It works like a charm

I'm running both units off of one LGC 2000 antennae (external puck) and get GPS maps and GPS data with both units powered up at the same time.

Hope this helps

Dan Curtis

http://www.threeriversmarine.net/page/page/2298356.htm

B Becker · Post by **B Becker** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 7:01 am

Thanks guys, I think I'm good. I ordered the adapter cables and I will see if that works. I'm not using my 135's at all, I replaced them with the HD units, so no need to upgrade those things, I think I did upgrade

I hope to get the parts this weekend and try it out next week. Thanks for all your help, if this doesn't work then I will call the guys in PA

NoCAL · Post by **NoCAL** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 7:34 am

Hey Dan, glad to hear the unit is working for you. Kudos to hooking things up with the wiring instead of the network. I'm loving the HDS unit too.

NoCAL